Ralph Watson Special Engineer Supplementary Edition”, Now Available.

[Trevor Sheffield]

The Lycoming Special and Classic Bovine Manure.

The introduction to the first and all editions off my book, “Ralph Watson Special Engineer”, for very good reason includes the following statement:-

In the past, a number of articles have been published including incorrect information covering Ralph’s cars and projects, much to his annoyance. An important object of this publication is to correct this trend, which unfortunately continues sometimes involving amplification and reiteration.

Once again my old dear friend’s reputation has been detracted as a result of incorrect, contrived definitive statements being commercially published concerning the Lycoming Special.

1. The top speed of the car has never been reliably timed or verified and all quoted speeds are estimated.

2. The steering column was not easily detachable with adjustable rake.

3. Special cylinders from a supercharged Lycoming US Airforce fighter plane were not fitted. Fantastic fantasy.

4. The de Dion rear end does not use a modified Watt’s link. This is a misconception continually presented and therefore for this good reason is carefully explained in my book.

5. What is more the mechanism certainly does not provide vertical location. LOL How stupid can one get?

6. There was certainly no Morris Oxford torsion bar controlling the rear suspension which could be adjusted from the cockpit.

7. The statement that a gearbox was installed back to front to achieve overdrive implies that Ralph was stupid and surely illustrates the lack of knowledge, technical ability and accuracy involved in the writing of the article. The gearbox was in fact ingeniously and drastically modified enabling drive to be applied to the layshaft. As a result top gear in effect became an overdrive.

8. The car did not comprise or embody a space frame chassis as is twice claimed in error. The car was conceived as a twin tube backbone chassis with cross members. Extra bracing was achieved by carefully designing the required upper structure. A full space frame chassis was ruled out due to the requirement of reasonable access to dual seating.

9. Johny Morrell definitely did not style or have anything to do with the shape of the body. His excellent work and special ability was confined to producing the curved panel work, all in accordance with Ralph’s requirements and instructions. Ralph personally designed every aspect of the Lycoming Special.

During the cars conception and before the project actually commenced, during personal discussions, I vividly recall a plasticine model sitting on a shelf, or was it the widow sill, of Ralph’s workshop in Mount Albert. It was scaled in order to utilise Dinky Toy wheels and tyres as a means of convenience. The final body design did not depart from this original small model, which probably still exists amongst his absconded personal possessions.

10. The car was certainly not dependant on A40 sourced brakes, another slight on Ralph’s ability. As one would expect, the original drum brake system was specially built and carefully designed.

11. The brakes were not operated by twin master cylinders. At the rear a mechanical system was used and incidentally provided the additional advantage of enabling simple hand brake operation.

12. Brake pressure front to rear was not adjusted by a clever linkage system combined with a hand brake-levver arrangement.

13. The Lycoming Special won the N.Z. sports car championship four times rather than twice.

14. It is stated that Watson made and designed a rotary valve aeroplane engine. LOL! Never mind proper accurate and correct acknowledgement of what he himself considered his most important and satisfying project. He was the only person in the world able to successfully design and build an efficient reliable rotary valve internal combustion engine, as proven with his still in use BSA Special.